1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor vehicles, and more particularly to a storage container adapted for removable placement on the roof of a motor vehicle or the like. A rack for the container is permanently installed upon the top of the vehicle at or after the time of manufacture of the vehicle, with the rack serving to lock and secure the storage unit in place on the vehicle, as desired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need for additional portable storage volume during travel has been a problem throughout recorded history, and various devices have been developed to respond to the need, ranging from saddlebags for horses to more recently developed articles better adapted for modern transportation. With the development of the motor or engine driven passenger vehicle, additional storage devices have been developed, some of which were incorporated into the vehicle at the time of manufacture and integrated with the vehicle, and others of which were either strapped or otherwise secured to the vehicle in makeshift fashion, or specifically developed for attachment to the vehicle in some way or another.
Examples of the latter are rooftop ski racks and luggage racks, which necessitate ropes and straps of various sorts to secure luggage thereto. Other enclosed containers have been developed for vehicle rooftop use, but these containers are generally secured only by an aftermarket rack which is removably or permanently installed to the vehicle roof, with the container itself being strapped or otherwise removably secured to the rack.
The above solutions to the problem of additional storage while traveling, generally result in relatively insecure storage of articles tied to a rooftop rack or stored within a rooftop container. Anyone can come along and cut the ropes or straps securing luggage or other articles to a rack, or securing the rack and/or storage container to the vehicle, and abscond with the luggage or articles. Travelers have been forced to respond by using chains and/or steel cables and locks to secure their goods, which on occasion result in damage to the vehicle finish, as well as being cumbersome and time consuming to use and leading to frustration when a padlock or key therefor is lost or a combination is forgotten. However, the only alternative is the removal of the luggage and/or other articles whenever the vehicle is left unattended, which is also a cumbersome and time consuming process.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a vehicle rooftop storage unit which comprises a permanently mounted rooftop rack and a container which may be locked therein or removed therefrom, as desired. A discussion of the distinctions between the present invention and the prior art is provided immediately following.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,971 issued to John L. Goodell on Oct. 5, 1965 describes an Automobile Top Carrier And Cases Therefor, comprising a generally conventional roof rack of predetermined size and a plurality of closable cases adapted to fit closely within the rack. The cases interlock with one another and with the horizontal components of the rails when placed atop the car. However, no means is provided to lock the cases to the rack; anyone may come along and remove one or more of the cases, as no key or other anti-theft locking means is provided. Moreover, if it is desired to access the contents of any case, it must be removed from the roof rack; the cases cannot be opened while secured within the rack. The rack itself is a fixed unit, and has no openable components, as provided for the removal of the storage unit in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,496 issued to Ray G. Mareydt et al. on Apr. 14, 1981 describes a Ski Rack comprising a pair of spaced apart longitudinal channels or tracks permanently installed to the roof of a car. A pair of transverse arms is adjustably secured to the channels. These arms each have an upper portion which is hinged at one end and lockable at the opposite end, to secure skis or other thin elongate articles therebetween. No enclosed storage container is disclosed by Mareydt et al. The arms are hinged about a horizontal axis to lift vertically, rather than swinging horizontally, as in the openable portion of the present rack invention. The racks are not adapted to capture a container horizontally therebetween, as in the present rack apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,569 issued to Roger D. Winter et al. on Jun. 23, 1981 describes a Luggage Case And Vehicle Rack Therefor, with a tongue on the bottom of the suitcase engaging a horizontal rack member. A rack side member includes a lock which locks another member of the suitcase thereto. The apparatus is adapted only for use with a specially manufactured suitcase, rather than with a rooftop storage unit substantially the same size as the vehicle roof. The rack includes only a single side member, and does not grip the suitcase therebetween, as provided by the present rack configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,766 issued to Vince F. DiPalma et al. on Dec. 4, 1990 describes a Vehicle Roof Top Carrier And Method Of Using Same. The carrier includes a rack which is permanently mounted to the roof of the vehicle, and an openable cover which is permanently secured to the rack. The bottom of the enclosure is defined by the roof of the vehicle, and thus the cover portion cannot be removed and transferred to another vehicle, as is provided by the container portion of the present storage unit.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,997,118 issued to Horst Uebach et al. on Mar. 5, 1991 describes a Roof Trunk, or more particularly a specific multiple latch mechanism therefor actuated by a single handle. The mechanism is similar to that used in many pickup truck shell rear gates, with a single tee handle being turned to engage or disengage the plural latches. No rack or attachment means for the trunk is disclosed, and the lid is permanently secured to the base portion by hinges at one end of the trunk.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,107 issued to W. Peter VanSon on Mar. 17, 1992 describes a Means For Securing An Enclosure For Luggage On A Cartop Rack, comprising a flexible, waterproof fabric container which is removably attachable to a conventional roof rack. A plurality of openable sleeves is provided, which sleeves are adapted to secure around the existing roof rack rail members. A zipper, snaps, or other similar closure means are used to secure the sleeves, and to secure the top of the container to the remainder thereof. The container is not a rigid shell, as in the present invention, is not lockable, and cannot be slidingly secured to and locked to or removed from the existing rack with its permanently fixed components.
U.S. Pat. No. D-269,667 issued to Don R. Taylor et al. on Jul. 12, 1983 describes a design for an Automobile Roof Top Carrier, comprising a somewhat aerodynamically shaped shell with the upper portion thereof hinged on one side. No means is indicated for the attachment of the shell to a rack or to the roof of the vehicle, nor is any locking means indicated.
French Patent Publication No. 2,487,273 to Jacques Ricouard et al. and published on Jan. 29, 1982 describes an Anti-theft Luggage Rack comprising a platform with peripheral rails about three of the four sides thereof, with the fourth rail side being open. A specially adapted case is captured between opposite side rails, but does not engage the fore or aft end rails, as with the present invention. A horizontally pivoting and lockable retainer is spring loaded to bear against the rear of the container. The retainer does not attach to one end of the rack and secure completely across the rack, as in the present invention. The structure of the pivoting retainer requires that the distal end be free to move downward to position the opposite end upwardly to bear against the container in the rack. Thus, the device is not well adapted for use on a generally flat structure, such as a passenger vehicle roof, as the distal end would be blocked from downward movement by the closely adjacent roof structure of the vehicle. This is not a bar to the intended operating environment of the Ricouard et al. rack and container, as FIGS. 3 and 5 clearly indicate that the device is intended for use on the back of a bicycle, with the curvature of the rear tire providing clearance for the downward movement of the distal end of the pivoting retainer arm.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 2,145,680 to Kenneth S. Marshall and published on Apr. 3, 1985 describes a Vehicle Roof Locker including a pair of spaced apart lateral rack members permanently installed thereto. The rack members are removably attached to the vehicle, unlike the permanently installed rack of the present invention. The container portion is secured above (rather than between) the rack members. The top of the container is a flexible sheet of material, unlike the rigid shell of the present container.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.